Just Another Casualty
by IamAnubis117
Summary: Jack finally realizes waht he wants but has he waited to long? What is he going to have to do to get it? Is there anything that he can do or will some old enemies get in the way of what he really wants. Post series. Sam/Cam Sam/Jack. all rights go to mgm


He sat at his poorly lit desk on a Friday night. Damn it, he was a three-star General in the United States Air Force so why was he still there. Although he should have left hours ago, he had nowhere to go so he sat there continuing to work. His superiors said he had dedicated too much to his job. Maybe he did but maybe he had nothing better to do than to sit there at his desk and tap his pen on his desk to try to will himself into reading another SG-1 mission report. This one was about Ba'al. This was probably the best he had ever had to read because the last Ba'al clone was finally dead. He was happy but he wished he had been on that SG-1 mission. Some days he missed his days as SG-1 commander, but what he missed the most was the people. They were his friends, but none of them had spoken to him since the aftermath of Carter's promotional party last month. He was contemplating calling Carter up and apologizing. He was an emotional hard ass. He just was not wired to apologize to people for his mistakes. So, instead he just sat there staring at the mission report trying to decide the best plan of action. Call Carter or spend every late night in the office having this debate.

_ A couple of months earlier at Samantha Carter's promotional party at O'Malleys Restaurant…_

"_Congratulations Sam! A full bird Colonel, wow things sure have changed!"Daniel Jackson commented as he gave Sam a hug._

"_Thank you Daniel! It's great of you to organize this party! You didn't have too."_

"_Oh but you know him Space money just couldn't resist."Jack O'Neill retorted as he walked up to Sam and Daniel._

"_Sir! I had no idea you were coming."She turned and looked up at him in surprise. _

"_Well, I do take some of the credit for you being a Colonel after all I was your CO for eight years. You really do deserve this. Congratulations! Besides, Daniel thought it would be a nice little surprise; I don't see you guys as often as I would like or you, Sam…wow a colonel." He smiled brightly at her before pulling her into a hug. She smiled back. Daniel walked off, giving them space._

"_Thank you sir. We sure have come a long way," she whispered in his ear._

_He whispered back, "call me Jack. I'm not your commander anymore."_

"_That's because you command the project these days General," she pulled out of their hug and looked around._

"_Yeah." He sighed and was disappointed as he hoped that she would call him Jack. He then thought, damn I guess I am just an old commanding officer. Yep, that was it he was old; he knew it and she obviously knew it too. Damn, this job just took too much of a toll on him. For the first time, he was truly thinking that he had given up too much for this planet; he had saved it a few too many times. He had let time pass, too much time. He wanted her, but she had moved on. He was not surprised she was tired of waiting for a man who after twelve years still had not made a move. She missed the look of disappointment that briefly crossed his face but Cam did not. "Can I buy you a drink?"He asked to try to change the subject._

"_Sure. I'll take a Guinness."_

"_I like how you think." He smiled and turned away heading towards the bar. He grabbed the beers he had ordered and turned back to where he had left Sam. Instead of finding her alone like had hoped since he really liked to have her to himself, he saw Cam Mitchell had occupied the seat next to her. He hesitated for a moment but when he ultimately decided to walk over there anyway, he saw Sam and Mitchell get up and head to the dance floor. They passed him on the way and he said, "What about your beer?"_

"_I'll be back in a minute, sir." She then accompanied Cam on the dance floor leaving Jack sulking back to the table. _

_ Damn, I'm pathetic Jack thought. I mean what did I really expect? That she'd wait around over a decade for an old general who was closer to her father's age than her own? He thought about it again and again. He thought about it for years. I mean yeah her Dad had her really young but still. I get her interest in Cam Mitchell. They were only in the same command for two years. Cam's a guy her age, he's attractive and charming with his southern hospitality but still I'm jealous and there's no stopping that. _

_ He grabbed his beer and drank it and watched them dance and dance and dance. He had another few sips and then watched them dance again and sighed. He then finished off his beer before grabbing Sam's. He'd just buy her another one. He continued to watch them dance. He went up to the bar to get a shot of tequila when Daniel came up to him. "Jack? What's wrong?"_

"_Space Monkey, how many times do I have to tell you I don't want to talk about my feelings?"Daniel let Jack's use of his pet-name drop for the moment._

"_Because Jack I want to help. I had a feeling when you walked in here tonight you were hoping to ask Sam out maybe or something like that."_

"_I guess I was but then Mitchell butted in. Can I order him off world right now?"Jack swigged at his drink again._

"_That would be an abuse of privileges Jack."Daniel smiled at Jack and rolled his eyes which angered Jack because he was dead serious. _

"_Whatever." Jack stiffened._

"_You know I'm not sure she likes Cam like that. They've always acted more like siblings. He never truly was her commanding officer, maybe he was on paper but they shared the job." _

"_Like your relationship with Sam?"_

"_You know she's like a sister to me and you're like a brother."Daniel stared at Jack attempting to send him a message that said he was taking this thing too far without actually saying it. Jack just ignored it._

"_But, I think he likes her," Jack observed before downing his shot of tequila he had just gotten. _

"_Can't you see why?"Daniel questioned. _

"_Yeah." _

_Meanwhile on the dance floor Cam and Sam were talking._

"_I guess you out rank me these days," Cam stated after a silence._

"_Yeah, I guess I do," Sam smiled at him._

"_Yes ma'am."_

"_Doesn't mean you have to start calling me ma'am it makes me feel old. I feel like I should look around for a General or something."_

"_You call General O'Neill 'sir' all the time and he's not that old. Any reason for that? You never call him Jack but then again I don't either. You guys are friends, right? I mean after all these years how can you not be friends, right?" Cam wanted to find out the details of her relationship with the General because he had seen the looks they had given each other when the General and Sam said hello._

"_Oh, I don't know I guess we used to be more than we are now. 'Sir' sort of became a pet name after a while, it was easier than always saying Colonel or General."_

"_Kind of like he always calls you Carter?"He teasingly spun her around._

"_Exactly," she said. Maybe it could be this simple after all. Cam was always a person she could easily talk to Sam thought; they never had to be talking about anything important. They could have little conversations just like this and be fine. She could never do that with the General. Sam called him the General in her head like he did not even have an actual name. Did she even know Jack O'Neill? She looked over to at the bar where the General was standing with Daniel; they were talking and the General was drinking while Daniel watched him worriedly. She wondered what they were talking about. Then she heard Cam's voice. "Sam? Hey Sam?"_

"_Yeah, what?"she asked as she turned her attention back to Cam._

"_I lost you for a minute."_

"_Sorry."_

"_Its fine…there's something I'd like to ask."He smiled._

"_Ok?" She was puzzled by his suddenly nervous posture._

"_I was wondering if next Friday you'd like to go out to dinner with me as in on a date?" He asked quickly before rubbing the back of his head._

"_Oh?" She did not see this coming and really did not know how to respond. What was she to say? She liked Cam but she was not in love with him but the man she was in love with was pretty much unattainable. Cam was fun. She turned her head and looked in his direction, which did not go unnoticed by Cam. The General was still at the bar with Daniel drinking and probably over something that she would never know about because it dawned on her that they were not friends and maybe they never truly had been. He was friends with Daniel and Teal'c but never her but god she wanted to be. There was too much baggage and too many missions gone wrong for a normal relationship. They had given too much to the war. She wanted normal. She hoped he would not get drunk but he probably would. _

"_Sam?"_

"_Yes."_

"_I was asking if you-"_

"_I said yes." She interrupted. The man of her dreams always seemed to be on a different page but Cam was a great guy who she liked a lot and she decided she would like to try to have a relationship with him, a normal relationship. _

"_Great! I was thinking of that Italian place over on 5__th__ street. Pick you up at seven?"_

"_I'd rather not go to that place if that's okay?" She had a memory long ago of that place that she'd rather not mix in with this because she was afraid that that would ultimately lead her to thinking that this dating thing with Cam was not the best idea. But, deep down she knew it was not the best idea but she desperately wanted it to be. So, she would try it. She had had dinner once with the General there before he moved to Washington; she had thought it would be the beginning of a relationship but it had not been. She thought it went well but he obviously did not. _

"_Okay! That's fine. How about the new Chinese place on Allen Street? I heard it's good."Cam was always accommodating._

"_That would be great!"_

"_Okay, good! I'll make a reservation."_

"_Sounds good. Can we take a break from dancing? My feet are starting to hurt from these shoes."_

"_Sure Sam." Cam led her off the dance floor and back to the table. "Do you want me to grab you a beer?"_

"_Yeah, thanks Cam." He happily walks off to the bar where Jack and Daniel still were. At the bar, he ordered a beer and turned to where Jack and Daniel and said, "Hey, guys! Enjoying the party?"_

"_You obviously seem to be," Jack remarked sarcastically at the joyful Cam._

"_Uh, yeah?"Cam tilted his head in confusion._

"_Jack…" Daniel butted in._

"_I'm leaving; tell Carter I said good night."General O'Neill walked off leaving Cam confused._

"_Jack you can't drive! Not after that many drinks!" Daniel shouted back._

"_Watch me." He exited the building. He did not even turn around to look back at Daniel._

"_Teal'c!" Daniel called to a table nearby._

"_Yes Daniel Jackson?"He responded._

"_Can you give Jack a ride home? He's drunk."_

"_Certainly."Teal'c followed Jack out the door._

"_What was that all about?" Cam asked Daniel, clearly confused._

"_Well…umm"_

"_Spit it out Jackson!"Cam starred down Daniel._

"_Jack's jealous of you."_

"_A legendary three star General is jealous of me? He's the hero of the whole damn intergalactic war and he's jealous of me! Why?" Okay, Cam was not as clueless as he wanted to appear to Daniel._

"_Because of your relationship with Sam." Daniel stated as if it were the simplest thing in the world._

"_What do you mean?"He pushed._

"_I mean what it looked like to us, watching you dance, is that you have a thing for Sam and she has one for you."_

"_Oh. He has a thing for Sam? I had no idea." Well, he had suspected by the looks earlier but did Sam have a thing for him, that's the important question. "Does Sam have a thing for him?"_

"_Sam's not the kind of girl that would lead on one guy if she's got a thing for another," Daniel hoped to god he was right because he knew he could be feeding Cam a total lie. God, he felt like he was back in high school. _

"_Yeah, well it's probably a good thing that I didn't get far enough as telling you guys that I asked Sam out and she said yes."Cam was smiling again and looked around, trying to spot Sam. She was talking to Doctor Lam and Vala. He waved._

"_Yeah, it's a really good thing we did not get that far," Daniel agreed._

"_Yeah," Cam responded before drinking his beer._

"_She said yes?"Daniel asked as though it were an afterthought._

"_Uh yeah? Why?"_

"_Oh well…nothing."_

"_Jackson," Cam exasperated. Daniel continued to sip his second beer. Sam walks up to them with Vala. Cam never got his answer and Daniel was thankful._

"_Hey," Sam started when she saw Daniel drinking and Cam looking distressed, "What?"_

"_Nothing!" Daniel immediately defended. _

"_Have you been drinking again Daniel? You know you're a cheap date." Vala flirted._

"_Jack said that once…years ago."_

"_Speaking of him, where did the General go? I never got to talk to him."Sam asked._

"_Home. He was drunk," Cam stated. _

"_He was drunk because he was jealous," Daniel slurred as he continued to gulp his beer. _

"_Daniel I think it's time I get you home," Vala started._

"_And naked," Daniel responded._

"_Yep, time to go," Sam pointed out, "Goodnight Vala. Goodnight Daniel. Thanks for coming."_

"_Congratulations Sam!" Vala shouted back as she led Daniel out the door. Sam waved before turning her attention back to Cam. _

"_So…" Cam started_

"_Yeah?" Sam asked._

"_Daniel had some interesting things to say."_

"_Really? He gossips when he's drunk."_

"_Oh? Well, we were talking about the General having a thing for you." Cam stated while pealing at the beer rapper._

"_Oh?" Sam was in shock. She had no idea how to respond. The General has a thing for her?_

"_Is it true?"He looked into Sam's eyes._

"_That the General has a thing for me? I don't know," Sam said. Yes, she thought, deny everything between the General and herself. It was second nature these days. He watched as she tapped her fingers on the bar. _

"_I have to ask… do you have a thing for him?" Cam needed to know. He hoped it was not true but he did not want to be committed in a relationship when Sam secretly was in love with another man. "Sam?"_

"_Okay, Okay Fine. I'll admit it. I used to. It was against Air Force regulations but yeah I use to."_

"_Okay, that's all I wanted to know." Cam was relieved and looked it too. He was not going to ask when or for how long. He would leave it as it was. He smiled and looked around. "Looks like people are heading out, do you wanna finish the rounds and I'll drive you home?"_

"_Yeah give me a few more minutes." She walked off and hugged several people and talked to several others before returning back to the bar. "Alright Cam, let's go."_

"_Lead the way."She walked out the door, he followed. They got in Cam's jeep and headed to her house. After making idle conversation, they arrived at Sam's house._

"_Congrats Sam!" Cam said before he leaned over and kissed her, "and good night."_

"_Night Cam. See you later." She got out of the car and went into her house and Cam drove off. She found; however, that she was not alone. Instead, she found General O'Neill sitting on her couch, waiting._

"_I let myself in."_

"_I figured. Why are you here?"Shouldn't she be disturbed that he just willingly let himself in and did not even ask whether or not it was okay?_

"_Did Mitchell drive you home?"He forced out the question as politely as he could._

"_Yeah, Teal'c drove me there and Cam was the only almost sober guy there when we left. You know he doesn't drink more than a beer or two a time."He was wondering if she was trying to give him a hint or convince herself of something else entirely. He looked at her; she was clearly uncomfortable in his presence. She fidgeting with a piece of paper, she had pulled out of her pocket._

"_And he didn't stay the night? You're sleeping with your commanding officer."It was not really a question and they both knew it. It was an accusation because Sam did not think anything would hurt Jack more than if it were true, but they also both knew Cam was not longer her commanding officer. He had not been her commander for over a year and she had never slept with him. _

"_Sir, I don't think that-"_

"_I ask you a question Colonel!"He drunkenly shouted._

"_He's not my commanding officer, sir and he hasn't been for a while. So, it really wouldn't matter if I was. And you're drunk so I better call you a cab. I don't want to fight General. You won't put me through this."He stood up and faced her._

"_Why is it that you can never call me Jack? You call him Cam."_

"_It's different." She started to get upset. "Sir, I'm calling you a cab." But the phone began to ring. Sam turned to pick it up but Jack grabbed her arm pulling her to him._

_He said, "Why won't you go out with me? Am I not good enough? Or at least call me Jack. After all these years aren't I at least your friend?"_

"_Jack…" she sighed and turned her head away._

"_I mean obviously not because I was once your commanding officer and because you were flirting all night with Cam. We used to flirt Sam. Do you remember? I wish we still did. There was a time…years ago when we were actually friends but then-" The phone stopped ringing and went to voicemail and Cam's voice came through, "Hey Sam, you left your cell phone in my car and I'm almost to your door, well I'm walking up you're drive actually. I didn't want to scare you so I called. Well actually I'm knocking on the door. Okay I guess you heard that, I'll just hang up."Sam and Jack both heard the knocking on the door. Sam tried to pull away from Jack but he wouldn't let her. _

"_I'll get it."_

"_Sir! Don't he'll get the wrong impression," which was exactly what Jack had in mind but was too drunk to care that it was not what Sam wanted. Sam ran up behind him but she was too late, Jack had already opened the door._

"_Hey…General? What are you-"Cam started confused._

"_Cam it's not what it looks like," Sam butted in._

"_Actually, it's probably exactly what it looks like," Jack bluntly stated leaning into the door frame._

"_What is it that it looks like?" Cam asked. He had to know now._

"_That umm…well that the General was staying the night?"Sam hesitantly responded to Cam. She was nervous and really wanted out of this situation._

"_Is he?" Cam asked._

"_No!" Sam defended._

"_Yes." Jack said at the same time. _

"_Here's your phone Sam. Goodnight."Cam turned and walked away._

"_Cam! Cam! Please come back!"_

"_Look, Sam I don't want to hear it. You said you were over the General but here he is in the middle of the night and he's staying over. You lied to me."Cam walked off back to his car. _

"_Look Sam, I didn't plan to-"Jack started. He actually was beginning to feel bad about what he had just done because Sam had tears in her eyes._

"_Get out!" She shouted._

"_Look Carter, I'm really sorry."_

"_I said get out!" She pushed him towards the door._

"_I can't drive!"_

"_I don't give a damn just get out of my house!" She shouted._

"_Okay fine! I know when I'm not wanted."He opened the door and then turned to Sam and said, "For what it's worth, I flew here for your party from DC to ask if you'd like to go out with me but I got beat to it."_

"_Oh! Great now you throw this guilt on me! Please Jack, just leave." She begged him._

"_Ok. Goodnight Sam. Congratulations." He walked out the door._

"_Ah! Fuck." Sam banged her head against the door and cried. But, she realized something amidst her anger that Cam would never hold that kind of grudge or do that to her. Maybe he was better for her after all._

So, that's what happened the last time he spoke to her. He wondered what she was doing right now. It was a Friday night but she still figured she was in her lab like always. Some things never changed. So, he had the sudden urge to call her lab to see. He picked up the phone and quickly dialed her up, he had the number memorized.

"Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring. Hello, you've reached the lab of Colonel Samantha Carter. Please leave a message and I'll return it as soon as possible. If you need immediate assistance you can call my assistant, Dr. Laura Graham, at 589-432-0986. Thank you." Damn. She's not in her office. Well, this is why they invented cell phones. He also had that number memorized, so he swiftly dialed it without a second thought.

"Ring Ring Ring…Hello?" Now or never Jack, he thought. He wanted to fix his relationships with his friends especially his relationship with one blonde colonel.

"Uhh, hey Carter. It's Jack."

"Oh hi." Sam was not very excited to talk to him. That was understandable and he had predicted it.

"Hi." Great Jack, that's all you can say.

"What do you want?" Then he heard in the background, "Sam? Who is it?" Cam Mitchell was where ever she was.

"Well," spit it out he thought, "I wanted to apologize for the night of your promotion party and the things I said and did like trying to break you and Cam up and getting jealous and such."

"Oh."

"What?" He was nervous.

"It's just not like you to admit your mistakes. You've never done that before."

"Well, yeah I guess." He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his face.

"Does this mean we can be friends even after all these years in the Air Force? You admit to mistakes and I do too and we take the military out of our relationship?"

"We've always been friends."

"That's not true. You said so yourself that night. You were always my commanding officer first and foremost."

"Well, I'm not anymore. Sam, do you want to be my friend?"

"Yes." She smiled.

"Great! I'll be in town in a couple of weeks…do you want to have dinner?"

"Sure!"

"How about at that Italian place over by the mall?" He knew they had been there before together and he was hoping to make it their place. He tapped his fingers on the desk.

"Yeah okay. Bye Jack. I've got to go. We'll make plans later."

"Okay!" Well, that went well he thought after he hung up. "Yes!" He shouted in his empty office. She forgave him easily which he thought was strange, but for now he would count his blessings.

In Colorado, on the other, hand.

"Sam? Was that General O'Neill?" Cam asked before leaning back on the couch.

"Yeah, it was."

"What did he want?"

"He wanted to apologize for his behavior after my promotional party. Honestly, it's a surprise that he called at all. It's not like him to admit mistakes." She was shocked as she sat back down and thought it all over. They'd known each other for twelve years and when was the last time he apologized for anything? Never. He had always been the commanding officer and he never had to apologize for decisions. Who was she kidding they had never been friends but the thing was, she really wanted to be his friend. He was a great guy and she knew that. Maybe there were a few months in there somewhere where they almost became friends. Then they took the Za'tarc tests and realized that they were getting too close as friends, when they should really only be CO and 2IC. For a long time, she was in love with him and she could admit that to herself now. Now, that she had convinced herself to finally move on and things had changed. Maybe now they could be friends. God, she wanted to be friends with him, it had always been a dream where they no longer lived behind all these barriers and just hung out and had fun. That's what they were going to be, she was determined.

She had not been listening to what Cam was saying and caught the end of it, "…I guess it's good he called you. I thought you deserved an apology. Hell, I think I deserve an apology."

"Yeah," and that's all she had to say. There had been mistakes but she was ready for a new relationship with Jack. Where were all these profound thoughts coming from? She had no idea. "I'm having dinner with him in a couple weeks when he's in town. I just thought I'd let you know."

"Okay." Cam hoped she would not be let down or that he would not either. He loved her but he knew, even if Sam did not, that the General was in love with her too. She looked happy so he was happy. "What movie do you want to watch?"

Two Weeks Later:

Sam walked into the restaurant and looked around. She did not see him and she was surprised because she was a few minutes late and he was always on time.

"Sam?" She turned around towards the voice.

"Jack!" She moved forward and gave him a hug.

"Hey you grew your hair out." He stated as he pulled out their hug. It did not go unnoticed by him that she had called him by his first name.

"I did. Do you like it?"

"Yeah, It's nice. Let's go sit at our table." They followed the hostess. "So, how are you?"

"I'm doing well."

"How's Cam?"

"He's fine. He does want an apology from you, you know." She smirked.

"About that, can we clear the air?" He nervously tapped his fingers against the table.

"We cleared it on the phone." She gave him a genuine smile. He knew he was forgiven.

"Good. So, how are you really? How's the SGC?" He leaned back and got comfortable.

"I'm doing well. There's always something going on. Ba'al's finally dead, thank god. It's nice that that war is over. How's Washington?"

"It's Washington." He grinned. "It's good it's over. I hated Ba'al. He was the worst of them all." Suddenly, he got really serious.

"Yeah."

"Anyways, now that this thing is over, I've been thinking about retiring."

"Really?" She was shocked. "You're not the kind of guy who sits at home doing nothing."

"No, I'm not. I was thinking about taking a position at the Academy, a smaller job so I still have something to do and all my friends are in the Springs."

"I know you. You can't leave the Destiny and its new crew out there somewhere without knowing how they are going to get home."

"That's the problem." He smiled and winked before taking a sip of his water.

"Hello folks. Welcome! Do you have any questions about the menu or can I get you something to drink?" The cheerful waiter asked.

"A bottle of wine. What do you think Sam?"

"Sure. You choose."

"Can we have a chardonnay?"

"What kind sir? I recommend the California."

"The California it is and we'll split the bruschetta."

"Very well sir." The waiter walked off.

"Crap!" Jack rubbed the back of his neck.

"What?" Sam raised her eye brows in confusion.

"I didn't even ask if the bruschetta was what you wanted. Sorry, I'm going to need to get used to this friend thing instead of the CO and 2IC relationship." He nervously fidgeted with his shirt collar.

"Jack stop being so nervous, we need to get used to the friend thing. It's okay. I thought it was a nice gesture."

"Really?"

"Yeah." They both smiled and relaxed, intending on enjoying their evening.

A couple hours later they were laughing really hard. Jack could barely get the words out. "We never did arm wrestle."

"No, we didn't." She giggled and dipped her head so he would not see her blush. He did anyway. "We should sometime." He looked straight at her, "I don't know who'd win. I use to think it would be me but I've gotten old and fat."

"I wouldn't say that. But, I'm pretty close to suggesting we do so right here." He smirked at her response.

"That would be inappropriate." He said with mock seriousness.

"It would. Do you want to get out of here?" She smiled.

"Sure." They stood up, and he helped her with her coat. "Thank You. Daniel dropped me off because I was running late. You have a car, right?"

"Yeah, I got one from the SGC. They give us Generals nice rides."

"Will you drop me off?"

"Of course." They walked into the parking lot.

"They do give you a nice car." She said as she hopped into the passenger seat of the Escalade. After a few minutes of idle chit-chat, they arrive at Sam's house. "So," she started, "coffee?"

"Sure!" He turned the car off and jumped out of the car and ran around to open her door and help her out.

"You're being quite the gentleman, Jack." She took his offered hand and stepped out of the car.

"I try." He smiled jokingly, "Want to arm wrestle?" He continued the earlier joke.

"We'll see." He followed her into the house. "I've always liked your house…it's very... you" Great Jack that's all you can come up with to describe her house. He admired a few pictures on the shelf. "You actually framed that picture? I can't believe it."

"Which one?" In response, Jack held out a candid picture of himself and Sam sitting on his porch years ago. "Oh! That one you almost killed Daniel for taking. I've always liked it. It was a nice moment we had."

"Yeah," he smiled in remembrance, "Do you still remember what we were talking about?"

"How could I forget? You divulged that you believed that Daniel was 'in the closet' and I said I doubted it because he was married. Do you still believe that?"

"Hell no, ever since Vala joined SG-1 I've had no doubt Space Monkey is straight." Sam giggled and shook her head.

"What! Don't tell me you don't see their…attraction." He quickly defended.

"I work will them every day of course I see the attraction."

"So…have you and Mitchell gone public or is it your little secret?"

"You know it's on the down low. The boss, General O'Neill, wouldn't like it." Hoping he would get her joke.

"Oh the General's fine with it," he smiled seductively, "its Jack that has a problem with it."

"Jack…" He clearly had not. She sighed and became uncomfortable and scared. She was afraid that they would have a repeat of that awful night a few months ago and that she'd truly lose him.

"I know. I know. You don't want to hear it so I won't say it again. I promise."

"Jack, look, once upon a time I fell for you but you were unattainable. So, I made myself move on and technically Cam and I aren't in the same chain of command and while the Air Force may not like it, we aren't breaking the frat regulations. Cam's a good guy."

"He's just so damn southern and polite." He rested his hands on her kitchen counter and she gave him a big smile. "I'd better get going. I have a meeting with Landry first thing in the morning."

"You never had coffee."

"And we never did arm wrestle." She could tell he was implying something else instead of just arm wrestling but she decided to let it go for now. She followed him to the door.

"I'm coming to DC for a meeting in a few weeks. Do you want to have dinner?"

"Yeah, email me the dates your coming and we'll work something out. This was fun Sam. Goodnight." He gave her a quick hug.

"It was fun. Bye Jack." She shut the door behind him.

God, he thought, life was so screwed up. He had worked his ass off for years and years in order to make earth a better place. Hell, to even have it still be standing here in the first place. Yet, the one thing he wanted as a reward he could not have. She admitted to having a thing for him once but, then again, he knew she used to have a thing for him and putting that in past tense was probably the key. He needed a drink so he drove to his favorite bar.

As he sat in the bar pondering his life, he came to a conclusion: if she was happy, then he was happy for her. Maybe, they had waited too long and maybe too many apocalyptic missions. Maybe he did sacrifice too much for the war. But, what was done was done. Over the years, they had encountered so many alternate times lines in which he and Sam were dating or married or dead. But, that was in another life, another world which was not his and maybe it was time he stopped living in the dream of someday, she obviously had. That was the important one to consider that maybe the difference that their relationship in this reality would make would be monumental. To his knowledge, Earth had survived for in the manner it should for longer than any of others. They had made crucial decisions somewhere along the line, their fork in the road, that resulted in life as they knew it. He guessed he had to make that ultimate sacrifice for the good of mankind not that he had any other choice. God he hoped it was worth it and he knew he'd always be in love with Samantha Carter.

He swigged at his beer. He heard a voice behind him, "General?" It was Mitchell. Great, just who he needed to see, the boyfriend of the girl of his dreams.

"Mitchell? Your favorite bar too?" He turned around on his stool to greet Cam Mitchell.

"Yeah, it's interesting to see you here. Aren't you hanging with Sam tonight?"

"I left a while ago and then came here to get a drink."

"Ah, may I seat down, General?" Cam motioned at the empty stool next to Jack.

"Sure, sit, order something. It's on me."

"Thanks. Look, I'm curious. Why do you suddenly want to be friends with Sam?" He tilted his head in confusion.

"Way to be blunt Mitchell."

"Sorry."

"It's okay. I've always wanted to be her friend but it's not like I always could be Sam's friend."

"So it wasn't anymore than a friendly dinner with an old friend? I have nothing to worry about?"

"I don't think so…she's committed to you." Jack sighed and drank his beer.

"Well, okay, good. I'm going to get going." That is all Cam wanted to know.

"Sure Mitchell."

Cam left Jack sitting in the bar. He hopped into his jeep and pulled out his cell phone and dialed Sam. "Hey, Sam, can I come over?"

"Sure."

"I'll be there in a few minutes." He hung up and continued driving however at the same moment Sam finished wiping her face with the tissue and blew her nose determined to stop crying. She was crying over Jack. She knew was ironic because he had just been at her house and had made it clear that he was interested in her but had promised to let it drop as long as she was happy with Cam. She was happy with Cam but at the same time she was sad to let Jack go. It was irrational to hold onto Jack and she thought that Cam was the rational choice. He was the same age, did not have a dark past and lived in Colorado Springs. They could have a normal life. But, she had to ask herself was that truly a reason for her to choose Cam over Jack. In the end, she really did not know and thus the crying began because she knew she had just chosen as she walked Jack O'Neill out her door and realized they could never be just friends. So, she was letting him go and Cam was coming over. Just the way it ought to be she thought. She heard Cam knock on the door and as she got up and walked to the door, an old forgotten memory resurface.

_It was pouring rain outside and Sam was sitting on her couch reading a book trying to enjoy the evening instead of allowing her memories to float back to her father and the funeral last week. She turned and heard a knock on her door. Curious as to whom it was, she quickly headed to her front door. She opened the door and found Jack holding a box of pizza and a movie._

"_Hey." He started when he opened the door, "I thought we could both use pizza, beer and a movie after this week."He did not want her to have to be alone after all she had gone through this week. Jacob was a hard man to lose because he had been such a great one. He may not have been the best father to Sam as a child from what he had heard, but he really had pulled through in the last few years._

"_Yeah, come in."She sighed and motioned for him to come in. They had an uneventful evening of eating pizza, drinking and watching __How To Lose a Guy in Ten Days__. To say the least, she had been shocked by his choice and even more so when he explained that he overheard her telling Daniel that she had wanted to see the movie since it came out last year. But, an evening like that was what she had needed and she was thankful he came over as she walked him to the door._

"_That was fun. Thank you for coming over."_

"_It was fun. I'll see you Monday."He did not touch on her father's death and she was thankful for that._

"_Good night." She smiled and he turned to walk down the path and she watched him go. He had been thoughtful for coming over and making her boring Saturday night plans of sitting at home listening to the rain and thinking about her father into something that was not depressing like that. Yet, the evening was depressing because she knew she could never have him as anything more than a boss but she was going to let herself believe that they would have their someday where they could do things like this every day and not just on special occasions. After all, at least for now, he was first and foremost her boss and not something else, for now. But, she could always plan for someday._

She smiled as she remembered that thought but was lost in a daze all the same because what was she waiting for? Wasn't this what she'd been dreaming about for over a decade? Here she was and she'd turned him down for Cam. Maybe the rules were not what was keeping them apart. Cam was a great guy and she had to keep telling herself that. It was her that was keeping them apart. There was another knock on the door. She drifted back to reality and opened the door.

"Hey, come on in Cam." She motion for him to follow her. "We need to talk Cam."

"Oh?" Cam stopped in his tracks confused, "What is it?"

A few weeks later Sam was in DC for a conference and had plans with Jack just like she had promised him. Sam showed up right on time to Jack's Apartment Complex; he had asked her to meet him there and he had plans for their evening. It was a surprise and Sam was curious about what it was going to be. She still had not told him that she had broken up with Cam about a month ago. That was part of her plan for tonight and to see where that would lead them. She walked into the lobby of the building and looked around, she did not see him. Weird, she thought and was hoping he had not forgotten. She decided to wait a few minutes before calling him. Just as she thought that, she saw him exit the elevator. She waved when he looked in her direction and he smiled back, and approached her.

"Hey Sam, how was your meeting?"

"Boring." She smiled up at him.

"Samantha Carter, I never thought I'd see the day where you thought a meeting about your science stuff would be boring."

"Yeah…some things change and some things don't."

"Yep, so are you curious about what I planned."

"Oh yeah." She rubbed her hand together.

"Well," Jack rubbed the back of his neck anxiously, "I made us dinner. So that's why I had you meet me here."

"Jonathan O'Neill, you cook?"

"Yeah, I do. You wanna head up stairs?" He smiled.

"Sure." She raised her eyes brows at him in confusion but followed him to the elevator. They awkwardly stood in the elevator listening to the beep as each level passed. When it beeped for the twenty-third time, the doors opened and they stepped out together and walked down the hall.

"So, Sam I have one question for you before we eat." He turned to face her with his key in his hand.

"Yeah?" She asked him.

"I was talking to Daniel the other day, and is it true you broke up with Mitchell about a month ago?" He quickly spit out.

"Yeah, I did. I realized something. You see, I had this dream and I realized it was about time I actually fulfill it. I convinced myself that I'd moved on but I hadn't. I want my happy ending too, Jack. We've given up to damn much not to get it. So, here I am. I love you Jack."

"I love you too, Sam." He smiled and leaned forward and kissed her. "You know I hate clichés but I'm totally lovin' this one." They both smiled.

"Yeah, me too. So, I'm dying to know if you can actually cook or not. Let's go inside." He laughed.

"Let's." He beckoned her into his apartment, still smiling. He was truly happy for the first time in a very, very long time.

Three Months Later:

Sam stood in the gateroom waiting for Jack's return from his dignitary mission that he had been on for a full week. She could not believe how much she had missed him. At least when he was in DC and she was in Colorado, they had their phones and email which they used constantly but with him off-world she could talk to him at all. She had a big surprise for him and could not wait for him to step through the gate and tell him. She glance at her watch, he was five minutes late but that was not enough to have her worrying yet. She saw Vala enter the room and walk over.

"Hey Sam, are you waiting for the General?" Vala smirked at Sam.

"Yeah, I am. I've got some big news for him."

"Really? What is it Sam? You know I can't stand secrets." Vala wined and Sam smiled knowingly.

"I promise you can be the second to know my…" Sam was cut off by the gate activity. She watched as the gate became active, becoming more excited by the moment. She was waiting for him to step through with his military escort team, but he never stepped through with them. She began to panic.

"Reynolds where's the General?" She ran up to the colonel to ask.

"Sam, I'm so sorry. We don't really know what happened. He was beamed up right before we came back. We couldn't tell by who and had no way to check it out. Sam, I have every intention of going to look for him." He gravely looked at Sam who was nearly in tears. "Let's debrief Landry, sir?" He turned and looked at General Landry.

"By all means Colonels, let's head up stairs and figure this out."

On the other side of the galaxy:

"Jack O'Neill. You're a challenge to find. You rarely leave Earth anymore." Baal smiled challenging.

"Damn it!" Jack shouted. "Will you ever just fucking die! I thought we killed you…all of you."

"I…well my clone, actually, told you that he made twenty three copies when he actually made a twenty forth copy. See we had you fooled, Jack. The Tau'ri are very gullible." Jack pulled as hard as he could against the restraints that were holding him to against the wall which had no effect and Ba'al chuckled at Jack's futile attempt to get free. "Jack, you'll never get free. Because if there's one thing I've learned from you pesky Tau'ri, it's that you never keep prisoners around for long or they'll escape. So, this time I think I'll just kill you and get it over with which is no fun but it gets the job done. You've been the biggest pain in my ass and then you'll be gone and I'll be free to take over the Galaxy. You are the only one that could stop me and when you're dead…there will be no one left who could really stand a chance against me."

"Quite cocky aren't we Ba'al?" Jack sarcastically responded. "You think I'm the only one that can stop you? Why the hell am I so special?"

"Now, Jack why would I tell you that? It's my little secret." Ba'al smirked devilishly. "Let's see how do I want to do this." Ba'al looked at the assortment of weapons on the table.

"Ba'al," Jack begged. "Please don't do this." Jack would not tell him why he so desperately wanted to live. He wanted to go home to Samantha Carter and live out his life. He had planned to ask her to marry him and tell her he was moving back to Colorado Springs that upcoming weekend while he was in town. He had planned to begin the rest of his life that night but here was Ba'al who had to go and ruin those plans. "You ruined my weekend Ba'al. I had plans."

Ba'al evilly smirked, "I think I ruined more than just your weekend Jack. I'm going to kill you and then send your body back to them."

"Don't. Please." He desperately tried to think of a plan or a weakness to exploit but he had little time and no idea what to do. He could not trade information; he could not give up Earth's secrets. Unfortunately, those secrets were more important than his life. Sam was the only thing he could think of and he desperately wished he could go home to her. The last few months of his life filtered through his head. He looked up at Ba'al watching him choose a weapon. There was nothing he could do.

The next day at the SGC:

"Sir," the sergeant addressed General Landry, "I have a message. It's from Ba'al."

"Ba'al? I thought he was dead. Well, let's hear it." The General stepped up to the screen. "This is General Landry."

"Ah, General, I know by now you know your dear friend Jack is missing. I thought I'd let you know he's dead." Ba'al cockily stated.

"Well, I want proof." He saw Sam run into the room. "What do you have as proof?" He turned his attention back to Ba'al on the screen.

"His body. I'm sending it through as we speak."

"Oh." The General was shocked. He had hoped that Ba'al had been lying to them in order to continue to torture Jack without having them come and look for him. Everyone in the control room turned their attention to the Stargate and watched as a coffin slide through the gate onto the ramp. He turned and saw Sam's face go deathly white.

"Jack O'Neill was the only one with the potential to stop me and now he's gone." The Stargate shut down. Sam ran for the gateroom followed closely by Daniel and Doctor Lam.

"Jack!" She clutched the coffin before starting to hit the ground in agony. Daniel looked towards her wondering when he should intervene so she would not hurt herself or join her in hitting the floor. Jack had been his best friend too. Doctor Lam beat him to it.

"I'm so sorry Sam," Doctor Lam began, "Sam, for the sake of your pregnancy I'm going to need to sedate you. We need to make sure you don't lose this baby. It's not good for the baby for you to be doing this but I know you need to grieve…" She urgently suggested really not sure what the best plan of action was. She stood with Daniel at the bottom of ramp watching Sam.

"You're pregnant?" Daniel questioned, "Oh, Sam…" He was at a loss of words. He knew he needed to put his grief away and focus on Sam.

"Doctor Lam confirmed it yesterday. I planned to tell Jack when he got home but now I never can. My baby won't have a dad." Tears streamed down Sam's face as she kneeled on the floor, shaking. Daniel grasped her in a hug.

"Carlyon do it now," Daniel order Doctor Lam.

"Okay." She leaned down next to Sam and Daniel and stuck the nettle into Sam's arm. Quickly, she fell into Daniel's arms and he lifted her onto the gunnery.

Twenty Years Later:

Jacob O'Neill Carter held Ba'al at gunpoint. "Any last words Ba'al? I hate clichés but I had to ask." Jacob smirked just like his father and it did not go unnoticed by Ba'al.

"How'd you do it? You managed to bring down my empire I've been building up for the past twenty years. I didn't think there was anyone with the ability to do it still alive."

"That's where you're wrong. You made a fatal error. Twenty years ago today you killed my father, the one man you believed could stop you. The error was you didn't know he was having a son. Unfortunately, he never knew either." Ba'al looked up at Jacob shocked and confused. How he never noticed it before, Ba'al did not know. He looked exactly like Jack O'Neill from the color of his eyes to his posture. The hair, the smirk, it was all the same. He had several encounters with Jacob over the last few years but he never put the two together. In a flash, he understood why no one worked so hard to take him down.

"I never knew you existed or I would have killed you long ago."

"You can't say you haven't tried. But, I know you would have had you know. We all knew. That's why my mother, Samantha Carter, and I went into hiding. I swore I'd avenge the death of the father I never knew. Now, I'm taking from you what you took from him." With that, Jacob pulled the trigger and shot into Ba'al's chest twice and turned and walked away replacing his gun into the leg holder, the gun shots still ringing in his ears. He dialed the Stargate and walked through. He would never know why Ba'al thought it was only an O'Neill that could take him down, but his father had been avenged. That would never be enough for him or for his mother but it would have to do. In the end, Jack O'Neill was just another casualty in the war against the Goa'uld that was finally over. Jack O'Neill had started the war and his son had ended it, now the galaxy was free.

30


End file.
